Collapsible receptacle



w GEIST COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 1933- w. J. GE|ST v COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 19:51

18, I J. GEIST coLLA sILE RECEPTACLE F i led Feb. 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mu mummmmmumI %mm mm Patented Apr. 18, 1933 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. GEIST, F LOCKPORT, ILLINOIS.

COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACIIE Application filed February 6, 1931. Serial No. 513,897.

In my co-pending patent application Serial No. 499,861, filed December 4, 1930, I have presented a novel and improved form of carton or receptacle, the end wall or hottom ofwhich is composed of a plurality of spirally-disposed flaps which overlap one another m a practically fiat or plane spiral when inoperative position, the structure, however, being readily collapsible.

In the double-thickness, fiat blank from which such receptacle or container is made, the flaps are arranged parallel to one another and somewhat oblique .to the edge of the blank,*and they are accommodated between the two thicknesses of the pasteboard or other suitable material of which the blank is made.

When such blank is opened up into cylindrical shape, these flaps assume a spiral arrangement more or less naturally, and they are then pressed down flat to form the bottom of the container.

The present invention represents an improvement on such construction in that these flaps, in the flat condition of the blank and also in their final position as the bottomforming elements ofthe container, overlap one another, and this arrangement prevents the flaps from becoming improperly positioned when they should more or less automatically assume the spiral formation preliminary to being depressed or forced down into the flat, spiral grouping, in which condition they comprise the bottom of the receptacle.

Also, in this new construction, the upper end of the blank has a series or group of flaps or tabs to provide a cover or closure for the top of the container.

Other features of benefit and advantage will be understood from a consideration of a present, preferred embodiment of the invention, which has been illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings, and in these drawings, for simplicity, like reference numerals have been employed to designate the same parts throughout the several views.

In these drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a face view of a single-thickness, 5: flat blank from which the container is made;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the finished container, partly broken away to more clearly show its construction;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the doublethickness, flat blank formed from the blank shown in Fig. 1, and which is adapted to be shaped to make the completed container or receptacle;

Fig. 4 is a broken, central, longitudinal section through the container after the blank shown in Fig.3 has been opened up into round form and before the flaps have been folded to make the top or bottom;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-section on line 55 of Fig. 4; a

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the top closure of the container;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the container, looking at the bottom;

Fig. 9 shows the flaps partially pushed down to form the bottom and the top of the receptacle;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a cross section on line 1111 of Fig. 9. I

Referring to these drawings, it will be observed that the fiat, pasteboard or similar material, blank, characterized as a whole 11 (see Fig. 1), comprises a substantially-rectangular, main-body 12 divided by lengthwise, folding lines 13 and 14 into three longitudinal sections 15, 16 and 17.

Outstanding from its bottom edge, such blank is provided with a seriesof somewhat obliquely arranged tabs or flaps 18, 18, four of which, in the present instance, have projections 19, 19 terminating at 21 at points corresponding to the center of the bottom of the container.

These flaps, as is clearly shown, have rounded ends 22, and the adjacent, longitudinal, edge portions of the several flaps are in overlapping relation at 23, as is fully shown in Fig. 1, the purpose of such overlying arrangement being to preclude any of such flaps from becoming displaced from their proper positions or order in the sequence designed to form the spiral.

The flaps, of course, are integral with or comprise parts of the main-bod y of the blank, and the overlapping possibilities are provided b s litting or dividing the thickness of the b anli-stock at such points, whereby each one of each pair of overlying sections is about one-half the thickness of the pasteboard, the united or conjoint thickness of each pair of such parts being equal to the thickness of the blank-stock. Such splitting of the stock for this purpose may be performed in any approved or convenient manner and by any suitable means.

The top edge of the blank is similarly equipped with somewhat differently-shaped, slightly-oblique flaps 24, 24, which are overlapped for a part of their length at 25, in the same way and for the same purpose.

At their outer ends, such tabs or flaps 24 are notched at 26 corresponding substantially to the center of the top, so that when these flaps are in final operative position to combinedly compose the closed top of the container, they will be more or less interlocked together at the center of such top. A

A fiat blank 11 of this style having been provided, it is bent over along the transverse lines 27 adjacent and parallel to the edge or line 28 at the base of the flaps 18, and then the blank is folded along the lines 13 and 14, whereupon the longitudinal edge portions 29, 30 will overlap, and they are secured together in any convenient manner, as by an adhesive.

The double-thickness blank now presents the appearance depicted in Fig. 3, and the blanks in this form may be shipped from the manufacturer to the user.

When such blank is to be employed as a container or receptacle, it is opened up or expanded to form a cylinder, and then all of the flaps 18 are bent down along their baseline 28 until they unitedly make up the flat bottom of the container, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

It will be observed that each such flap extends all of the way across the bottom, and its rounded end 22 bears against the opposite wall, whereby all of the flaps act in concert to prevent collapse of the bottom part of the cylindrical container.

Substantially the middle point of one edge of each of such flaps co ncides with the center of the bottom, and, in order to be sure that there-will be no small hole at such center, several of the flaps are provided with the extensions or projections 19 which overlap the adjacent flaps and which extend beyond such center in a manner to preclude the presence of even the smallest aperture at the center. all of which is clearly illustrated in Fig. 8.

Figs. 9 and 11 show these various flaps in the spiral arrangement thev assume as they are being pushed or forced down 'into substantially a single plane to make the bottom of the receptacle.

It will be noted also that, below such bottom, the container has a double-wall flange 31 formed in part by a portion of the outer wall of the container and in part by that section of the blank between the lines 27 and 28.

Owing to the fact that all of these flaps overlap one another at all times, there is no reasonable possibility of any of them becoming disarranged or out of the proper order or sequence necessary to provide the bottom of the character specified.

Were one to be out of place, the required grouping or assemblage would not prevail.

After the container or receptacle has been filled with its contents, the upper flaps 24 are pushed down flat, and they close the top, but, in this case, such flaps extend only to the center of the structure, and as they approach their final, fiat-spiral positions, the notches 26 become automatically locked with the adjacent flaps, so as to maintain them properly in position and to prevent collapse of the upper portion of the container, the flaps, so to speak, pushing or bracing against one another.

Figs. 9 and 10 show these upper flaps in the process of being pressed down into a single plane to form the top, and, since such flaps always have overlapping portions, there is no danger of any of them becoming disarranged or out of proper relation with their neighbors.

This improved receptacle may be supplied for single service, or, if desired, after it has performed one service, it may be collapsed into the flat form presented in Fig. 3 and used over again.

The invention herein set forth and defined by the appended claims is not limited or restricted to the precise and exact details of structure presented, and these may be modified within reasonable limits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention, and without the loss or sacrifice of any of its material benefits or advantages.

I claim:

1. A foldable fiat container blank having a main body-portion and a series of overlapping flaps extended at an oblique angle from an edge thereof.

2. A foldable fiat container blank having a main substantially-rectangular body-portion and a series of practically-parallel overlapping flaps extended at an oblique angle from an edge thereof.

3. A foldable flat container blank having a main body-portion and a series of overlapping round-ended flaps extended at an oblique angle from an edge thereof.

4. A double-thickness flat blank having opposite edge portions secured together, each thickness of said blank having at the corresponding ends thereof a plurality of overlapping flaps at an oblique an le to such ends and located between said thicknesses.

5. A foldable flat container blank having a main body-portion, a series of overlapping flaps extended at an oblique angle from one edge thereof, and a second series of overlapping flaps extended at an oblique angle from the opposite edge thereof.

6. A double-thickness flat container blank having opposite edge portions secured together, each thickness of said blank having at the corresponding ends thereof a plurality of flaps at an oblique angle to such ends and located between said thicknesses, the opposite ends of said thicknesses'having a plurality of outstanding flaps at an oblique angle to such ends, each end group of flaps being arranged to form conjointly a fiat spiralclosure for the corresponding end of the completed container.

7. A double-thickness fiat blank having opposite edge portions secured together, each thickness of said blank having at the corresponding ends thereof a plurality of overlapping fiaps at an oblique an le to such ends and located between said thic nesses, the opposite ends of said thicknesses having a plurality of overlapping flaps at an oblique angle to such ends.

8. A container having an end closure composed of a plurality of flaps extended from the side wall of the container and arranged in asubstantially-flat spiral, each of said flaps having a part of reduced thickness overlapping the next flap in the series.

9. A foldable flat container blank having a main body-portion and a series of substantially-parallel overlapping flaps extended from an edge thereof and arranged when the blank is folded to assume a fiat spiral relation and to form an end closure for the container.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM J. GEIST. 

